(Text of my speech at Toastmasters)

«Stupid is as stupid does»

The kid was waiting for the bus on his very first day of school. The bus arrived, the doors opened and the school bus driver asked – are you coming along?

The kid answered – mom said not to take rides from strangers.

– This is the bus to school- replied the driver.

After a short silence, the kid said – I’m Forrest, Forrest Gump.

And the driver – I’m Dorothy Harris.

– Well, now we won’t be strangers anymore – replied the kid.

Mr. Toastmaster, fellow toastmasters and honourable guests, I’m going to tell you one of the most beautiful stories ever told, the life of Forrest Gump.

A man in his late thirties named Forrest, Forrest Gump, was waiting for the number nine bus, sitting on a bench at the bus stop. Well, Forrest started talking with the people who were waiting for the bus too.

Those must be comfortable shoes said Forrest to a young Afro-American nurse. Mom always says there’s an awful lot you can tell about a person by their shoes. Where they’re going, where they’ve been.

I could remember my first pair of shoes – Forrest’s back was as crooked as a politician and he wore horrible and bulky orthopaedic shoes during his childhood – Mom said they’d take me anywhere. She said they were my magic shoes.

Coming back to the first ride at the school bus, when Forrest go on the bus, none of the children wanted Forrest to sit beside them. –This seat’s taken -said a rude kid, – you can’t sit here –  said other impolite kid.

–You can sit here if you want – said a girl with the sweetest voice in the whole wide world -said Forrest to the nurse – I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life. She was like an angel.

Her name was Jenny and from that day on, Forrest and Jenny were always together, they were like peas and carrots.

One day, at the school, some motherfuckers, oops, I’m sorry, some kids started to throw rocks at Forrest. Jenny said run Forrest run, run away. Forrest started to run and he escaped of them.

From that day on, if Forrest was going somewhere, he was running. Forrest was really fast. Thanks to that fact, he went to college to play American football. And after five years playing football he got a college degree.

Forrest had different kinds of shoes. Sneakers to play football or even military boots. Yes, he was enlisted in the Army. There, he met Bubba, a guy with big gums, and an  authentic expert on shrimps. Bubba knew everything there was to know about the shrimping business. I know everything there is to know about the shrimping business (said Bubba).

Forrest was sent to Vietnam. And he became a war hero, because he saved the life of Lieutenant Dan.

Forrest was also a table tennis champion, a famous runner and a stock investor.

After Forrest’s mum’s funeral, Jenny spent some weeks with him. One night they slept together and early in the morning she left. This had been the last time that Forrest had seen at Jenny.

Forrest was waiting for the number nine bus because he had received a letter from Jenny. She wanted to introduce him to someone. It was a little kid, his name was Forrest, like his father.

Jenny and Forrest got married. Jenny was very sick since a couple of years ago and some weeks after the wedding she died. Forrest is a wonderful daddy.

The only disability in life is a bad attitude. Forest’s mom always said life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.

Dear friends, be brave and enjoy your life!

David Torija